Ponemon study finds link between ransomware, increased mortality rate

Researchers surveyed nearly 600 health IT and security professionals about the ways cyberattacks disrupt care delivery and put patient safety at risk.

A report released Wednesday by the Ponemon Institute found that ransomware attacks in the time of COVID-19 have had an impact on patient safety, data and overall care availability.  

For the report, sponsored by the risk management platform vendor Censinet, Ponemon surveyed nearly 600 IT and security professionals in healthcare delivery organizations.

"Our findings correlated increasing cyberattacks, especially ransomware, with negative effects on patient care, exacerbated by the impact of COVID on healthcare providers," said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute, in a statement. 

"We also analyzed steps that HDOs are taking to protect patient safety, data and care operations to determine what is working since so many respondents have been victims of more than one ransomware attack," Ponemon said.